Wednesday Wagers
After a limited card on Monday and Tuesday, gamblers get back to a full slate of MLB games on Wednesday, including six games in the afternoon. Let’s take a look at a pair of key matchups before touching on a few other points regarding the rest of the card.
Angels at Yankees**
--After raising their first World Series banner at the new stadium, the Yankees went out and beat the Angels by a 7-5 count Tuesday in a business man’s special. They hooked up their backers as minus-200 favorites, with the 12 combined runs soaring ‘over’ the 10-run total.
--Los Angeles (2-6, -573) is all alone in the cellar of the American League West, 3 ½ games back of the division-leading A’s. The Angels have only played one road game, yesterday’s loss in the Bronx.
--New York (5-2, +349) is in second place in the AL East, one-half game behind the loop-leading Blue Jays. Joe Girardi will give the ball to Javier Vasquez, who got absolutely shelled in his first outing of the year. The veteran righty gave up eight earned runs in just 5 2/3 innings of work.
--Vasquez (0-1, 12.71 ERA) has made four career starts against the Halos, going 0-1 with a 2.89 ERA.
--Joel Pineiro (0-1, 4.50) owns a 2-3 record and 3.43 ERA in eight lifetime assignments against the Yankees. The righty’s debut with the Angels didn’t go as scripted, as he gave up three earned runs in six-plus innings of a 10-1 loss to the Twins.
--The ‘over’ is 6-1 overall for the Yanks, 1-0 in their home games. As for the Angels, they have watched the ‘over’ go 4-3-1.
--As of early this morning, most books were listing the Bronx Bombers as minus-210 favorites with a total of 10 ‘under’ (minus-115). Gamblers can pass on the expensive straight price and go the run-line route (minus 1 ½ runs) for a minus-110 price.
**Braves at Padres**
--Atlanta (3-4, -199) continues its West-coast road swing tonight in the second game of this three-game set in Southern California. The Braves got pounded by a 17-2 count Monday before both teams took yesterday off. They are currently tied for third place in the NL East with the Nationals, three games off the pace being set by Philadelphia.
--Bobby Cox will give the starting nod to Tommy Hanson (0-1, 3.38) in this spot. The right-hander pitched well in a 2-0 loss to the Cubs, giving up four hits and a pair of solo homers. Hanson is now 11-5 with a 2.91 career ERA in 22 career starts. He won his only start against the Padres last season, giving up two earned runs in six innings of work.
--San Diego (3-4, -3) is in a last-place tie with the Dodgers in the NL West, 2 ½ games back of division-leading San Francisco. The Padres lost two of three at Arizona and at Colorado before clubbing Atlanta in the series opener.
--Clayton Richard (0-1, 3.86) took the loss against the Rockies in his season debut, but he worked seven innings and gave up just three earned runs. The lefty didn’t fare well in his lone career start against the Braves, surrendering six runs and nine hits in merely 2 1/3 innings of work.
--After coming to San Diego from the White Sox in a late-season trade last year, Richard went 4-0 with a 2.00 ERA in six home starts at Petco Park.
--As of early this morning, most books had the Braves favored at minus-140 odds. They were plus-120 on the run line (risk $100 to win $120). The total was seven ‘over’ (minus-115).
--The ‘under’ is 5-2 overall for the Padres, while the ‘over’ is 4-2-1 overall for the Braves.
--Atlanta scored 16 runs in its season-opening blowout win over the Cubs, but the Braves have scored just 19 combined runs in the six games since then. They have hit just six homers as a team with three of those coming from rookie sensation Jason Heyward.
**B.E.’s Bonus Nuggets**
--Kansas City RHP Kyle Davies will get the ball today against Detroit at 1:05 p.m. Eastern. The right-hander has an abysmal 1-6 record and 5.61 ERA in eight career starts against the Tigers.
--Rays LHP David Price owns a 2-0 record and 3.12 ERA in three starts against tonight’s foe, Baltimore. Tampa Bay will face the Orioles at 1:35 p.m. Eastern. Joe Maddon’s squad is a minus-140 road ‘chalk.’
--The ‘over’ is an MLB-best 7-1 for both the Marlins and Pirates.
--The ‘under’ is an MLB-best 5-1-1 for the Indians.
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